Emma Raducanu secured her first last eight appearance at a WTA 1000 tournament in emphatic fashion as she destroyed Amanda Anisimova in the Miami Open
Emma Raducanu said she had «come a long way in the last week» after booking a Miami Open quarter-final place. The British star brushed aside American 17th seed Amanda Anisimova in straight sets.
Raducanu’s first last-eight appearance at a WTA 1000 tournament was secured in emphatic fashion as she dominated her opponent to triumph 6-1 6-3. Her best run since being crowned 2021 US Open champion continued as she controlled the match throughout. Raducanu did not drop a point on her serve in the first set, which underpinned an impressive performance that saw her move into the top 50 of the world rankings.
«I’ve come a long way in the last week, I think, since Indian Wells (where Raducanu lost in the first round),» she told Sky Sports. «I wasn’t necessarily feeling great about my tennis, about everything, but this week I have, yeah, some really good people around me who I trust and who I have fun with off the court as well, and that is extremely important.
«When I play my best I am definitely authentic, true to myself and creative. I feel when I am boxed into a regimented way then I am not able to express myself in the same way. So I’m happy with how I realised that this week.»
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Raducanu broke her opponent’s serve in the opening game as she brought immediate intensity to the last-16 clash, then repeated the feat and moved 3-0 ahead. Raducanu had complete control during her first two service games, and Anisimova struggled to make any headway, being involved in an exchange with the umpire before holding her serve and cutting the deficit to 4-1.
The American cut a frustrated figure, and Raducanu closed out the first set after just 24 minutes with a third break of serve.
Anisimova’s problems deepened before the second set began, requiring treatment on her right wrist and having it heavily strapped before the match resumed and Raducanu immediately held serve. Raducanu’s dominance continued when she broke serve for a 3-1 advantage, and the next two games also went against serve as she closed in on victory that was achieved after 68 minutes.
«I am really proud of how I came through that,» she added. «Playing Amanda, it is never easy. She has had some amazing wins, top 20, won a Masters this year.
«I just knew I had to dig every ball that I could and make it as physical as possible, because I backed myself in that regard. I was happy with how I moved, how I extended the rallies from the first game, the first points and kind of just got in my opponent’s head.»
Raducanu will play American world number four Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals after she beat Marta Kostyuk in straight sets.
